1.Action Mechanism of Huamoyan Granules in Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis Based on TRPV1/p38 MAPK Pathway
Jin ZHANG ; Lili YANG ; Canwen ZHENG ; Jing KANG ; Yanlei MA ; Yue SHI ; Lei LI ; Hongxu MENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(4):79-89
ObjectiveThis paper aims to observe the protective effect of Huamoyan granules on knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and explore whether its protective effect is oriented toward an anti-inflammatory direction by regulation of macrophage polarization, which can effectively inhibit the progression of pathological inflammatory response, reduce the release of inflammatory pain mediators, and downregulate the protein expression level of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), so as to provide experimental evidence for its clinical application and investigate its action mechanism. MethodsAfter adaptive feeding, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into six groups: sham group, model group, celecoxib group, and high, medium, and low-dose synovitis granule groups (9.6, 4.8, 2.4 g·kg-1). The administration dose of celecoxib capsules was 20 mg·kg-1. There were 10 rats in the sham group and 12 rats in the model group and each administration group. A KOA animal model was established by means of intra-articular injection of sodium iodoacetate into the knee joint. From the 10th day of the experiment, each administration group was given intragastric administration at a dose of 10 mL·kg-1 for 4 weeks. General conditions of rats in each group were assessed daily. The pressure pain threshold (PPT) to mechanical stimulation and joint diameter were recorded. X-ray examination was performed on the right knee joints of rats for imaging analysis. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to detect the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), serum interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and other pro-inflammatory cytokines in rat serum samples, as well as the expression levels of neurogenic inflammatory mediators such as nerve growth factor (NGF) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Histopathological changes in the knee joint synovial tissues were examined by hematoxylineosin (HE) staining. Safranin O-fast green staining was performed to observe and evaluate the degree of knee cartilage lesions. Western blot was employed to quantitatively analyze TRPV1, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), and phosphorylated (p)-p38 MAPK in rat knee synovial tissues. Immunofluorescence (IF) was used to measure and assess M1/M2 macrophage polarization. ResultsCompared with those in the sham group, the circumference and joint diameter of the right knee were markedly enlarged in the model group (P<0.01), while PPTs of rats showed a significant reduction (P<0.01). The contents of IL-1β, TNF-α, CGRP, and NGF in rats' serum were significantly elevated (P<0.01), and the synovial Krenn score was increased (P<0.01). The Mankin score of cartilage tissue was increased (P<0.01), and the protein expressions of TRPV1 and p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK were significantly upregulated (P<0.01). The experimental intervention significantly reduced the proportion of pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages in the total macrophage population (P<0.01), and the percentage of M2 macrophages was decreased (P<0.01). The M1/M2 macrophage ratio was significantly elevated (P<0.01). Knee joint diameters of all dose groups of Huamoyan granules and the celecoxib group were reduced (P<0.01) compared with those of the model group, and the PPT recovery speeds in the high and medium-dose groups of Huamoyan granules were more obvious (P<0.05). The contents of IL-1β, CGRP, and NGF in the rats' serum in all administration groups were significantly reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the content of TNF-α in rats' serum was significantly reduced (P<0.01). All dose groups of Huamoyan granules demonstrated significant reductions in both synovial Krenn score (P<0.05, P<0.01) and protein expression of TRPV1 and p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK in rats' synovial tissues (P<0.01). The percentage of M1 macrophages in the synovial tissues of the celecoxib group and all dose groups of Huamoyan granules was decreased (P<0.01). The percentage of M2 macrophages was increased (P<0.05), and the M1/M2 ratio was decreased (P<0.01). ConclusionHuamoyan granules can alleviate the inflammatory response of KOA, reduce the release of inflammatory pain mediators, and downregulate TRPV1 protein expression by regulating macrophage polarization. Its mechanism may be related to the TRPV1/p38 MAPK signaling pathway, thereby achieving the effect of improving peripheral pain hypersensitivity in KOA.
2.Perioperative immune dynamics and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing on-pump cardiac surgery
Zhiyuan CHENG ; Xinyi LIAO ; Juan WU ; Ping YANG ; Tingting WANG ; Qinjuan WU ; Wentong MENG ; Zongcheng TANG ; Jiayi SUN ; Jia TAN ; Jing LIN ; Dan LUO ; Hao WANG ; Chaonan LIU ; Jiyue XIONG ; Liqin LING ; Jing ZHOU ; Lei DU
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2026;39(1):31-43
Objective: To characterize perioperative dynamic changes in immune-cell phenotypes and inflammatory cytokines in patients undergoing CPB (cardiopulmonary bypass) cardiac surgery, and to explore their associations with postoperative outcomes. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 120 adult patients who underwent elective cardiac surgery under CPB at West China Hospital from May 2022 to March 2023 were enrolled. Perioperative immune-cell phenotypes and concentrations of 40 inflammation-related cytokines were measured. The primary outcomes were the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score at 24 h after surgery and ΔSOFA (the peak SOFA score within 48 h after surgery minus the preoperative SOFA score). Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), acute kidney injury (AKI), respiratory failure, severe liver injury, and infection. Results: The mean age of enrolled patients was 57±10 years. Of these, 52% (62/120) were male and 90% (108/120) underwent valve surgery. During the rewarming to the end of CPB, neutrophil counts rapidly increased (7.39×10
/L vs preoperative 3.07×10
/L, P<0.001), with significant upregulation of CD11b (7.30×10
/L vs preoperative 3.05×10
/L, P<0.001) and CD54 (7.15×10
/L vs preoperative 2.99×10
/L, P<0.001). Lymphocyte counts increased at the end of CPB (1.75×10
/L vs preoperative 1.12×10
/L, P<0.001) but decreased significantly at 24 h after surgery (0.59×10
/L vs preoperative 1.12×10
/L, P<0.001). Plasma analysis showed that multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines increased during CPB and remained elevated up to 24 h after surgery; five chemokines and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 peaked at the end of CPB. The SOFA score increased from 1 (1, 2) preoperatively to 7 (5, 10) at 24 h after surgery, with a ΔSOFA of 6 (4, 8). Within 30 days after surgery, 48 patients (40.0%) developed AKI, 17 (14.2%) developed infection, 4 (3.3%) developed severe liver injury, 3 (2.5%) developed respiratory failure, and 3 (2.5%) experienced MACE. During the 2-year follow-up, 8 patients (6.7%) experienced MACE and 5 (4.2%) died. Conclusion: Multi-organ dysfunction is common after cardiac surgery under CPB (median ΔSOFA, 6), accompanied by perioperative activation of multiple immune-cell subsets and upregulation of pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and chemotactic mediators. This study provides data-driven evidence and research clues for further investigation of the associations between CPB-related immune perturbations and postoperative organ dysfunction and clinical outcomes.
3.Construction and in vitro osteogenic activity study of magnesium-strontium co-doped hydroxyapatite mineralized collagen
WANG Meng ; SUN Yifei ; CAO Xiaoqing ; WEI Yiyuan ; CHEN Lei ; ZHANG Zhenglong ; MU Zhao ; ZHU Juanfang ; NIU Lina
Journal of Prevention and Treatment for Stomatological Diseases 2026;34(1):15-28
Objective:
To investigate the efficacy of magnesium-strontium co-doped hydroxyapatite mineralized collagen (MSHA/Col) in improving the bone repair microenvironment and enhancing bone regeneration capacity, providing a strategy to address the insufficient biomimetic composition and limited bioactivity of traditional hydroxyapatite mineralized collagen (HA/Col) scaffolds.
Methods:
A high-molecular-weight polyacrylic acid-stabilized amorphous calcium magnesium strontium phosphate precursor (HPAA/ACMSP) was prepared. Its morphology and elemental distribution were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Recombinant collagen sponge blocks were immersed in the HPAA/ACMSP mineralization solution. Magnesium-strontium co-doped hydroxyapatite was induced to deposit within collagen fibers (experimental group: MSHA/Col; control group: HA/Col). The morphological characteristics of MSHA/Col were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Its crystal structure and chemical composition were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, respectively. The mineral phase content was evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis. The scaffold's porosity, ion release, and in vitro degradation performance were also determined. For cytological experiments, CCK-8 assay, live/dead cell staining, alkaline phosphatase staining, alizarin red S staining, RT-qPCR, and western blotting were used to evaluate the effects of the MSHA/Col scaffold on the proliferation, viability, early osteogenic differentiation activity, late mineralization capacity, and gene and protein expression levels of key osteogenic markers [runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), collagen type Ⅰ (Col-Ⅰ), osteopontin (Opn), and osteocalcin (Ocn)] in mouse embryonic osteoblast precursor cells (MC3T3-E1).
Results:
HPAA/ACMSP appeared as amorphous spherical nanoparticles under TEM, with energy spectrum analysis showing uniform distribution of carbon, oxygen, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and strontium elements. SEM results of MSHA/Col indicated successful complete intrafibrillar mineralization. Elemental analysis showed the mass fractions of magnesium and strontium were 0.72% (matching the magnesium content in natural bone) and 2.89%, respectively. X-ray diffraction revealed characteristic peaks of hydroxyapatite crystals (25.86°, 31°-34°). Infrared spectroscopy results showed characteristic absorption peaks for both collagen and hydroxyapatite. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated a mineral phase content of 78.29% in the material. The scaffold porosity was 91.6% ± 1.1%, close to the level of natural bone tissue. Ion release curves demonstrated sustained release behavior for both magnesium and strontium ions. The in vitro degradation rate matched the ingrowth rate of new bone tissue. Cytological experiments showed that MSHA/Col significantly promoted MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation (130% increase in activity at 72 h, P < 0.001). MSHA/Col exhibited excellent efficacy in promoting osteogenic differentiation, significantly upregulating the expression of osteogenesis-related genes and proteins (Runx2, Col-Ⅰ, Opn, Ocn) (P < 0.01).
Conclusion
The MSHA/Col scaffold achieves dual biomimicry of natural bone in both composition and structure, and effectively promotes osteogenic differentiation at the genetic and protein levels, breaking through the functional limitations of pure hydroxyapatite mineralized collagen. This provides a new strategy for the development of functional bone repair materials
4.Proteomic Analysis of Danlou Tablet in Improving Platelet Function for Treating Coronary Heart Disease with Phlegm-stasis Intermingling Syndrome in Minipigs
Ziyan WANG ; Ying LI ; Aoao WANG ; Hongxu MENG ; Yue SHI ; Yanlei MA ; Guoyuan ZHANG ; Lei LI ; Jianxun LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(5):41-53
ObjectiveThis paper aims to observe the role of Danlou tablet in treating coronary heart disease (CHD) with phlegm-stasis intermingling syndrome in minipigs by improving platelet function and explore the potential pharmacological mechanism of Danlou tablet in regulating platelet function by using proteomics technology. MethodsThirty Bama minipigs were randomly divided into a normal control group (6 pigs) and a high-fat diet group (24 pigs). After 2 weeks of high-fat diet feeding, the high-fat diet group was randomly subdivided into a model group, an atorvastatin group (1 mg·kg-1), and Danlou tablet groups (0.6 g·kg-1 and 0.3 g·kg-1). All groups continued to receive a high-fat diet for 8 weeks after the procedure. The normal control group was given a regular diet, underwent only coronary angiography, and did not receive an interventional injury procedure. The model group and each administration group were fed a high-fat diet. Two weeks later, they underwent a coronary angiography injury procedure. After the procedure, drugs were mixed into the feed every morning for 8 consecutive weeks, with the minipigs maintained on a continuous high-fat diet during this period. Quantitative proteomics technology was further used to study platelet proteins, and differential proteins were obtained by screening. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to analyze key regulatory proteins and biological pathways involved in the therapeutic effect of Danlou tablet on CHD with phlegm-stasis intermingling syndrome. ResultsCompared with the normal control group, the model group showed a significant increase in total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) of minipigs' serum (P<0.01), a significant shortening in prothrombin time of (PT) (P<0.01), a coagulation function index, and an increase in whole blood viscosity (P<0.01) and platelet aggregation rate (P<0.01). Moreover, the platelet morphology was altered, and the contents of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO) were significantly increased (P<0.01). Hemodynamic parameters were obviously abnormal, including significantly decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), and left ventricular maximal positive dp/dt (LV+dp/dtmax) (P<0.01). Left ventricular maximal negative dp/dt (LV-dp/dtmax) was significantly increased (P<0.01). Besides, there were myocardial cell hypertrophy, obvious edematous degeneration, massive interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration, high degree of fibrosis, and coronary endothelial atherosclerosis. TC and TG levels in minipigs' serum were significantly reduced in Danlou tablet groups with 0.6 g·kg-1 and 0.3 g·kg-1 (P<0.05, P<0.01), compared with those in the model group. LDL-C was decreased in the Danlou tablet group with 0.6 g·kg-1 (P<0.05). The whole blood viscosity under low and high shear conditions was significantly reduced in the Danlou tablet group with 0.6 g·kg-1 (P<0.05). In groups with all doses of Danlou tablet, maximum aggregation rate (MAR) and average aggregation rate (AAR) were significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and platelets' morphological changes such as pseudopodia extension were reduced. ET-1 levels in the serum were significantly reduced. In the Danlou tablet group with 0.6 g·kg-1, NO level in the serum was reduced (P<0.05). In groups with all doses of Danlou tablet, DBP and MAP were significantly increased (P<0.05). In the Danlou tablet group with 0.6 g·kg-1, LVSP and LV+dp/dtmax were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and LV-dp/dtmax was significantly decreased (P<0.05). In groups with all doses of Danlou tablet, edematous degeneration in myocardial tissue was milder, and coronary artery lesion degree was significantly alleviated. Compared with the normal control group, there were 94 differentially expressed proteins in the model group, including 81 up-regulated and 13 down-regulated proteins. Compared with the model group, the Danlou tablet group with 0.6 g·kg-1 showed 174 differentially expressed proteins, including 100 up-regulated and 74 down-regulated proteins. A total of 30 proteins were reversed after Danlou tablet intervention. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that its pharmacological mechanism may exert anti-platelet activation, aggregation, and adhesion effects through biological pathways such as regulation of actin cytoskeleton, platelet activation pathway, Fcγ receptor-mediated phagocytosis, as well as proteins such as growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (GRB2), Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 2 (RAC2), RAC1, and heat shock protein 90 alpha family class A member 1 (HSP90AA1). ConclusionDanlou tablet can effectively reduce platelet activation and aggregation, exerting a good therapeutic effect on CHD with phlegm-stasis intermingling syndrome in minipigs. Its pharmacological mechanism may involve regulating biological pathways such as actin cytoskeleton and platelet activation pathway, as well as proteins like GRB2, RAC2, RAC1, and HSP90AA1, thereby exerting a pharmacological effect in anti-platelet activation, aggregation, and adhesion.
5.Syndrome Patterns Distribution and Risk Factors of Mixed Hemorrhoids in Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Multicenter Real-world Study Using Large Language Models and Latent Class Analysis
Ruyue DENG ; Kang DING ; Yuxin ZHU ; Meng LI ; Huiting ZHU ; Lei DU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(7):755-763
ObjectiveTo develop a standardized classification model for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome patterns of mixed hemorrhoids using multi-center real-world data, and unveil their distribution patterns and core risk factors, thereby providing evidence-based support for standardizing TCM syndrome differentiation and implementing precision interventions. MethodsA multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted, enrolling 13 283 mixed hemorrhoid patients from eight hospitals in Jiangsu Province between September 1st, 2023 and December 31st, 2024. DeepSeek-R1-Distill-Qwen-7B and LLaMA-3.3 large language models (LLM) were integrated with latent class analysis (LCA) to perform unsupervised learning and latent class modeling of TCM symptomatology. Potential risk factors were screened via univariate analysis, followed by logistic regression to identify independent risk factors for each syndrome pattern. ResultsThe model's performance indicators were stable and reliable across different clinical data types,i.e. in the outpatient records, past medical history (F1=99.7%), current medical history (F1=94.9%), and specialist examination (F1=90.7%); in inpatient records, past medical history (F1=98.2%), current medical history (F1=91.2%), specialist examination (F1=90.3%), and discharge status (F1=90.6%). Latent class mode-ling identified four core TCM syndrome patterns including spleen deficiency and qi sinking syndrome (915 cases, 6.89%), damp-heat pouring downward syndrome (10 820 cases, 81.46%), qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome (1252 cases, 9.43%), and wind injuring intestinal collaterals syndrome (296 cases, 2.22%), with respective latent class probabilities of 0.069, 0.815, 0.094, and 0.022. Logistic regression demonstrated that gender, age, disease duration, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, constipation, smoking history, and alcohol consumption were independent risk factors for pattern differentiation (P<0.05). The efficacy validation evaluation revealed that the cure rates for patients with spleen deficiency and qi sinking syndrome and qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome were higher than those for patients with damp-heat pouring downward syndrome (adjusted P<0.05), with no statistically significant differences among other syndrome patterns. ConclusionDamp-heat pouring downward syndrome is the predominant syndrome in mixed hemorrhoids. Gender, age, disease duration, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipi-demia, constipation, smoking history, and alcohol consumption are independent risk factors for the differentiation of syndrome types.
6.Skeleton Binding Protein 1 of Plasmodium berghei Influences Deformability and Cytoskeletal Ultrastructure of Infected Erythrocyte
Xin-Yue GUO ; Huan-Qi ZHAO ; Yan-Xuan ZHONG ; Ru-Meng JIANG ; Yao-Xian LI ; Lei-Ting PAN ; Qian WANG ; Xiao-Yu SHI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(4):1015-1027
ObjectiveThe malaria parasites remodel the host erythrocyte structure by exporting parasite proteins that interact with the membrane skeleton proteins of red blood cells (RBCs), facilitating their intracellular survival and pathogenicity. Skeleton-binding protein 1 (SBP1) is a conserved exported protein across Plasmodium species. In Plasmodium falciparum, SBP1 has been reported to interact with erythrocyte membrane skeleton proteins 4.1R and spectrin, while its contribution to erythrocyte remodeling and parasite virulence in Plasmodium berghei (Pb) remains unclear. This study aims to determine whether PbSBP1 associates with the host cytoskeletal protein 4.1R and to investigate its role in the remodeling of host RBCs and the pathogenicity of Plasmodium berghei. MethodsIn Plasmodium berghei, the relationship between PbSBP1 and the erythrocyte cytoskeletal protein 4.1R was examined using co-immunoprecipitation. A Pbsbp1 gene knockout mutant of Plasmodium berghei (Pbsbp1∆) was generated based on the principle of double crossover homologous recombination. The deformability of erythrocytes infected with Pbsbp1∆ parasites was assessed using microfluidic methods. Microchannels with an array of cylindrical pillars were used to detect modifications in infected RBC deformability. The infected RBCs were squashed between the rows and recovered between the columns and the transit velocity (μm/s) of infected RBCs travelling through the microchannel was recorded. The component of the erythrocyte membrane skeleton junctional complex, tropomodulin (TMOD), was fluorescently labeled, and the cytoskeletal network of infected erythrocytes was imaged using super-resolution stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) to analyze ultrastructural changes in the cytoskeleton of wild-type (WT) and Pbsbp1∆-infected erythrocytes. Actin-based junctional complexes were displayed as individual clusters by the labeled TMOD in the STORM images, and the cluster densities and distances between adjacent clusters of infected RBCs were calculated. Additionally, rodent malaria models (BALB/c mice) and experimental cerebral malaria models (C57BL/6 mice) were employed to monitor the growth of Pbsbp1∆ and WT parasites during the intraerythrocytic stage and their capacity to induce cerebral malaria in mice. ResultsPbSBP1 may participate in the remodeling of infected erythrocytes through direct or indirect interaction with the erythrocyte cytoskeletal protein 4.1R. Microfluidic assays revealed that the deformability of erythrocytes infected with Pbsbp1∆ parasites was significantly enhanced compared to those infected with WT parasites. STORM imaging further demonstrated that the ultrastructure of the erythrocyte cytoskeleton in Pbsbp1∆-infected cells was altered relative to that in WT-infected erythrocytes. The distances between nearest neighbors of clusters had a tendency to increase while the cluster densities were decreased in Pbsbp1∆-infected RBCs compared to WT-infected RBCs. Subsequent phenotypic analysis indicated that the growth rate of Pbsbp1∆ parasites during the intraerythrocytic stage was significantly slower than that of WT parasites, and their ability to induce cerebral malaria in mice was also attenuated. These findings suggest that PbSBP1 is involved in the remodeling of the erythrocyte membrane skeleton, likely through its direct or indirect interaction with protein 4.1R, thereby regulating the deformability of infected erythrocytes and influencing the pathogenicity of the blood-stage parasites. ConclusionThis study establishes a role for PbSBP1 in host erythrocyte remodeling and parasite virulence, providing new research strategies for the prevention and treatment of malaria.
7.Prevalence and influencing factors of metabolic syndrome in the population aged 35-75 years in Hubei Province
Peijun ZHANG ; Meng LEI ; Shuzhen ZHU ; Junfeng QI ; Shenghong HAN ; Junlin LI
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(3):80-84
Objective To analyze the prevalence characteristics and influencing factors of metabolic syndrome (MS) in people aged 35-75 years in Hubei Province. Methods The follow-up data from 2016 to 2022 in the early screening and comprehensive intervention project for high-risk cardiovascular population in Hubei Province were collected. SAS 9.4 software was used to conduct 2-test and multivariate logistic regression to analyze the prevalence of MS and its influencing factors. Results Among the 89 199 subjects, 24 757 were affected by MS, with a prevalence rate of 27.75% and a standardized rate of 23.55%. Among the various components of MS, the prevalence of abnormal blood pressure was the highest, at 70.88%, and the standardized rate was 59.32%. Secondly, abnormal blood glucose was 36.26%, and the standardized rate was 30.04%. Central obesity was 33.12%, and the standardized rate was 30.28%. Hypertriglyceridemia was 32.90%, and the standardized prevalence rate was 32.70%. The rate of low HDL-C syndrome was 10.25%, and the standardized rate was 11.67%. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of MS increased with age, and the risk of MS in urban residents was lower than that in rural residents (OR=0.835, 95%CI: 0.77-0.886). Administrative and professional workers had a higher risk of MS than farmers (OR=1.313, 95%CI:1.194-1.445). Overweight, obesity, central obesity, history of self-reported hypertension, history of self-reported diabetes, and history of self-reported dyslipidemia were associated with a higher risk of MS, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion The prevalence of MS is high in people aged 35-75 years in Hubei Province. On the basis of comprehensive intervention, focus monitoring should be strengthened to control the risk factors of MS and reduce the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
8.Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of human bocavirus in hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infection at a hospital in Shanghai from 2021 to 2023
Shan ZHANG ; Yujuan HUANG ; Lei SHEN ; Li LIU ; Jie WANG ; Huilin ZHOU ; Leijun MENG ; Tingting CHEN
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2026;38(3):193-198
ObjectiveTo investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of human bocavirus (HBoV) in hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) at a single-center children’s hospital in Shanghai, thereby providing evidence for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of HBoV infection. MethodsA retrospective study was conducted on 19 537 hospitalized children with ALRTI at Shanghai Children’s Hospital from January 2021 to December 2023. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with capillary electrophoresis was used to detect HBoV and 12 other common respiratory viruses /atypical pathogens. The positive detection rate, demographic characteristics (sex, age), temporal distribution (year, season) of HBoV, as well as the clinical characteristics of severe and non-severe pneumonia were analyzed. ResultsThe overall HBoV-positive rate was 2.57% (503/19 537), with 59.44% (299/503) being single infections and 40.56% (204/503) being co-infections. The positive detection rate was significantly higher in boys than that in girls (2.78% vs 2.33%, χ²=3.88, P=0.049). The highest infection rate was observed in toddlers, followed by infants (χ²=379.57, P<0.001). The positive rate peaked in 2021 and reached its lowest point in 2023 (χ²=45.49, P<0.001), with epidemics mainly prevalent in summer and autumn. The main clinical symptoms were cough (90.06%, 453/503), fever (75.94%, 382/503), and wheezing (39.96%, 201/503). Children with severe pneumonia showed a higher incidence of wheezing compared with the non-severe group (P<0.001), while underlying diseases and co-infections had no significant association with disease severity (P>0.05). ConclusionHBoV was an important pathogen of ALRTI in children, predominantly affecting infants and toddlers, with higher susceptibility in boys and seasonal peaks in autumn and summer. The main clinical manifestations included cough, fever, and wheezing, with wheezing being more prevalent in children with severe pneumonia.
9.Herbal Textual Research on Zijingpi in Famous Classical Formulas
Shuyi YANG ; Linmin FENG ; Wuwei MENG ; Zhilai ZHAN ; Lei ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(13):212-224
By consulting herbal texts, medical records, formula collections, and other relevant literature from various historical periods, as well as modern and contemporary research materials, different aspects of the historical evolution of Zijingpi, including its name, origin, scientific name verification, medicinal part, genuine producing areas, harvesting, processing, and preparation, properties and flavors, and primary indications, were systematically reviewed and verified, providing a basis for the development of famous classical formula preparations containing this medicinal material. According to the textual research, Cercis chinensis was first recorded under the name "Zijingmu" in the Rihuazi Bencao from the Five Dynasties period. From the Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, it was known by various names such as "Zijing", "Zijingpi", and "Zijingmupi". In modern and contemporary times, it has been officially named "Zijingpi", with aliases such as "Mantiaohong", "Zihuashu", and "Qingminghua". Historically, the mainstream source of Zijingpi was the dried bark of Cercis chinensis Bunge, a species of the legume family. However, there were also instances of confusion with the Lythraceae plant Lagerstroemia indica L. The producing areas of Zijingpi have no special geographical limitation, and the plant is currently distributed throughout most parts of China. There were no special requirements for harvesting time in ancient times, while modern records indicate harvesting time in spring, summer, and autumn. Ancient processing methods were rarely recorded, with only mentions of stir-frying Zijingpi. Modern practice mostly uses the raw material medicinally. Modern standards prefer it to be "dry, long strips, and thick". The functions of Zijingpi, mainly to promote blood circulation, relieve strangury, and detoxify, have remained consistent from ancient to modern times. Based on the textual research findings, it is recommended that when developing and exploiting the famous classical formulas containing Zijingpi, the bark of C. chinensis should be selected as the source. The processing method should be chosen according to the formula requirements, and if no specific requirements are indicated, it is suggested to use the raw material medicinally.
10.Design, synthesis, and in vitro anti-tumor activity of silybin derivatives
Yan LI ; Lei GAO ; Chaohui ZHANG ; Yanqiu MENG
Journal of China Pharmaceutical University 2025;56(3):305-311
This study used the natural flavonoid compound silybin as the parent compound and synthesized 16 silybin derivatives through oxidative dehydrogenation, alkylation, selective demethylation, and acylation. The structures of these derivatives were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and MS. All derivatives were found to be new compounds never reported in previous literature. Using gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 and human glioblastoma cell line LN-229, the in vitro anti-tumor activity of the novel silybin derivative was determined through MTT assay with lapatinib as the positive control. The experimental results indicate that the synthesized novel silybin derivatives have a certain degree of anti-proliferative effect on two types of cancer cells, with compounds I2 and I14 showing strong anti-proliferative activity against LN-229 and SGC-7901 cells.


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